LIAM

Early the next morning, a familiar sound drags me back to consciousness. It cuts off abruptly, and I open my eyes. The sky is turning a brilliant shade of pink. Ada's body is curled against mine in the cocoon of our sleeping bag. My neck feels stiff and my back aches, but I've never slept better. I wish I could wake up next to this girl every day. I press my face into her hair, breathing her in. The smell of salt clings to her from last night.

The sound comes again from somewhere near my head.

Bzzzz. Bzzzz. Bzzzz.

It's my phone. I reach out, hand groping in the sand to find it, accidentally jostling Ada. She blinks, eyes bleary.

"Hello?" I mumble.

"Liam?" My sluggish mind register's Julian's voice. "Have you seen the story yet?" There's something urgent in his tone that has me sitting up, instantly awake.

"What story?" I ask, stomach turning to stone as I open Google. I type my own name into the search bar.

I see the headline at the top of the results at the same time Julian says, "Liam, is this true? Are you really bribing your dad to keep him from selling stories to the media?"

A loud buzzing fills my ears, blocking out the sound of the waves. I can't swallow, can't breathe. It feels like the ground beneath me has turned to quicksand. The worry and anxiety and fear that've been weighing on me for the past months bury me alive.

My hand is shaking so hard, it's all I can do to tap on the link.

Teen Celebrity Liam Anders Bribes Father to Hide His Dirty Secrets From the Press

Everything inside me churns as my eyes travel down the screen to the photograph below the headline. It's a shot of me and my dad outside the diner in Jersey. Clear as the goddamn nose on my face, you can see the fat envelope of cash clutched in his fist.

My mind flashes to that photographer, asking me about my dad the other night. I thought it was a coincidence, that she was only fishing for details about my personal life. But I remember how upset Ada got after she mentioned my dad, and how she told me the girl was her coworker.

And then there's Mia's text from yesterday, I know you don't want to talk to me right now. But you should know your girlfriend is planning on selling stories about you to the press.

I squeeze my eyes shut. Please, no. Please, no. Please, no. I chant the words inside my head like a mantra and force myself to read the credit under the picture.

Ada Datchery/The Huntley Agency

Distantly, I'm aware that Julian's still talking. I don't register a single word. Pain and shame and rage slam into me until I can't tell which way is up. I trusted her.

I trusted her, and she sold me out. Just like my dad did. Just like everyone I'm stupid enough to let in always will. I look over at her. A feeling of numbness stretches over me, taut as a rubber band. It's the only thing keeping me from coming apart.

Ada's forehead furrows, eyebrows pinching with concern.

"Julian, I'll call you back," I say tonelessly.

"Liam, we need to talk about this. Figure out how we're going to handle it."

"I said I'll call you back," I snap, hanging up.

The phone slips through my fingers, landing in the sand with a muted whump.

My friends are awake now, watching me, worried. But I don't look at them. Can't tear my eyes away from the girl who betrayed me in the worst possible way.

"Liam, what happened? What's wrong?" Worry seeps into Ada's every word.

She's a better actor than I thought she was. "What's wrong?" I repeat, voice emotionless, detached. It's almost as if someone else is speaking. "You sold the story about my dad to the goddam media. That's what's wrong."

Ada reels back as though someone slapped her. "N-no. I would never."

"I trusted you, Ada. I fucking loved you. How could you do this?"

"I didn't. I have no idea what you're talking about!" she cries, sounding desperate. The foolish part of my heart that hasn't been utterly annihilated by this girl wants to believe her despite the evidence staring me in the damn face.

"Maybe this picture will help you remember!" I snatch my phone off the ground, thrusting it toward her. It isn't until my voice echoes against the house that I realize I'm yelling.

"Liam..." Faye comes up behind me, setting a hand on my shoulder.

I shake her off, watching Ada as her eyes lock on the photograph. Her lips part, and all the color leeches from her face. She doesn't say anything. Just stares at it. Her silence is all the confirmation I need.

I can't be near her another second. I whirl around, striding toward the beach house.

"Liam, wait! Liam, please!" Ada screams after me. I don't stop walking

I wrench open the door to the kitchen, storming inside and slamming it shut so hard the windows rattle. My hands fist in my hair as I pace, bare feet striking the cold tile.

I thought she loved me, and she was lying to me the whole time. And the real kicker is Paul is probably going to fire me on top of it all. There's no way Ackerman's going to keep me on after he hears I've been bribing my own father. God, this is so fucked up.

And of course, the media didn't even bother to do enough research to get the story right. My dad isn't hiding any of my dirty secrets. I'm paying him to keep him from spreading lies about me. I can't believe how badly that blew up in my face.

The door swings open, and Ada walks in. "Liam, listen to me." She holds a tentative hand out like I'm an animal she's afraid to scare off.

My friends follow her into the kitchen. Wes leans against the counter, folding his arms across his chest. Faye and Ariani keep shifting back and forth like they can't decide if they should be trying to comfort me or Ada.

"I did take that picture," Ada says so quietly I can barely hear her over the whir of the wine cooler. "I am so, so sorry. You can't imagine how sorry. But I didn't sell it."

Tears glisten in her eyes, and I feel the muscle in my jaw begin to pulse. How dare she cry when she's the one who did this? She's the one who ruined everything.

"Your name's on the damn credit, so that's a little hard to believe there, Ace."

The tears trickle over, cutting tracks down her cheeks. "It looks bad. It is bad, but Liam, you know me. You know I wouldn't do this."

I think that's what hurts the most. I thought I knew her. I opened up to her, let her into my heart. I fell for her lies. Fell for her. I told her all about my dad, and she turned around and sold some twisted version of the story to the goddam vultures.

And then it clicks. Ada came to my apartment after I saw my dad that day.

"You already knew." My voice is quiet like the hush preceding the utter devastation of a hurricane. "That night you came over to my place. You let me spill my guts to you about my dad, but you already fucking knew."

Ada's eyes drop as more tears roll down her face, splashing to the floor.

A cold humorless laugh escapes my throat. "You followed me out to Jersey that day, and then you lied about it to my face."

I see my friends exchange shocked glances. Apparently, I'm not the only one she had fooled.

"I—yes. I did. I've felt terrible about it ever since. But I never would've sold that picture."

"Then how's it plastered all over the damn internet?"

"I don't know!" She reaches out like she's going to touch me, and I take a step back.

"You expect me to believe that when you've been lying to me this whole time? My entire career might be over, because of you!" My voice reverberates through the room.

Ada's chin quivers as she absorbs my words.

"You're right." She swipes at her face. "I swear to you, Liam, I didn't sell that picture, but this is all my fault. I am so sorry."

The part of me that was head-over-heels in love with this girl not even twenty minutes ago wants to reach over and wipe her tears away. But I keep my feet planted, arms folded across my chest as my heart cleaves in two inside me.

"Congratulations, Ada," I say, words sharp as razor blades. "You finally proved you've got what it takes to be just another dirtbag paparazzi."

I pretend not to notice as her face crumples, and she begins to cry in earnest. Ignoring my friend's concerned expressions, I storm past them and back out onto the beach, slamming the door behind me.